COMMUNICATION OF THE BIRDS Allaah taught the Prophet Sulaiman(A S) the language of birds, and he used this knowledge to form a division of his army where only this bird language was spoken. The Prophet Sulaiman(A S) communicated with birds and ruled them the way he saw fit. This situation occurred as a result of Allah’s compassion. Sulaiman was Dawud’s(A S) heir. He said, ‘Mankind! we have been taught the speech of birds and we have been given everything. This is indeed clear favour.’ (Surat an-Naml: 16) - Birds have a special way of communicating with each other on a frequency beyond the range of human hearing. The Prophet Sulaiman (A S) was given a special skill which allowed him to understand this language. This might have happened through a technological innovation. - Using this skill (understanding communication in different frequencies), the Prophet Sulaiman (A S) gave orders to the birds, so they might have fulfilled his orders. (Allaah knows the best.) - The Prophet Sulaiman (A S) used birds sometimes to send news and sometimes to collect intelligence, and this method was very successful. His knowledge made it easier for him to communicate with other countries and effectively brought distant lands within his reach. Birds lack vocal cords. In order to produce sounds, birds send vibrations into their voice box (syrinx). The more muscles are connected to this box, the wider variety of sounds the bird can produce. For example, nightingales have a great many muscles connected to their voice box, and so can produce a multitude of different sounds. Communication is very important for birds, especially in environments where visibility is limited such as forests, fields and swamps. Birds communicate with each other by making sounds that resemble singing, screaming, tapping or drum-like noises. Each bird species has its own distinctive songs, and some species have more than a dozen. Others can imitate the songs of other species or even those of people. COMMUNICATION OF BIRDS As the Quran speaks of the language of birds, let us take a look at research conducted on birds. Brazilian and American ornithologists have studied the hummingbird (one of the tiniest birds in the world) and published their findings in the British journal Nature. The author of the article, Maria Luisa Da Silva, says that the vocabulary of the hummingbird is not innate but develops afterward. In other words, the hummingbird learns to speak as human beings do. Studies on crows have demonstrated that they emit a variety of sounds, namely, to call the colony of crows to come together, to express alarm, and to communicate a state of distress. Ornithologists, who have recorded these sounds using a sonograph, are still engaged in deciphering the meanings behind them. Bernd Heinrich, among these scientists who speak of the difficulty in decoding the sonograms, associates this research work with the work of the inhabitants of other planets visiting our earth and trying to decipher eating, playing, making love and activities like catching fish using a sonograph. What we are trying to do is to imagine ourselves in their place. Bernd Heinrich speaks of the difficulty encountered in deciphering the language of animals in general, as different species have different ways of communication, each calling for a different approach. There is a body language, expressed by the changes in your body position and movements, that show what you are feeling or thinking. Nodding means “yes,” hailing is a sign of calling to someone in order to greet him or try to attract his attention. Although the sounds emitted by birds are a means of communication, they also have, in general, a body language. Their body language is easier to decipher. For instance, a bird that emits a sound by touching its beak with his tongue means “I am a friend, I have no intention to harm you.” Theresa Jordan gives a whole list of signs, demonstrating thereby that even the body language necessitates a glossary. The physiology of birds is as interesting as their language, the long distances they cover without swerving from their destination are something to marvel at. Ornithologists studying birds will see God’s perfect artistry revealed in these creatures too. And there is no creature on [or within] the earth or bird that flies with its wings except [that they are] communities like you. We have not neglected in the Register a thing. Then unto their Lord they will be gathered. (Quran :6:38)
Posted on: Sat, 22 Mar 2014 08:18:11 +0000
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